Jack ran from cage to cage with his hands gripping each and every metal bar. "Hi doggies!"
Emily watched the young boy from her spot near the door. "Don't put your hands in the cages, Jack. Do you hear me?" She watched him give an affirmative nod of the head before she looked down to the food bowls and poured the bite sixed bits from the bag she held.
"We want to thank you again for helping us out today."
The FBI agent looked up to the manager of the adoption center and grinned. Every moment she was able to, Emily found some type of way to give back. When she was able to, the ambassador's daughter and her grandfather would go to the nearest homeless shelter every December twenty-sixth and give out free blankets and food, and it had changed Emily's views forever. "It's our pleasure," she said with a smile. Standing up straight, the thirty-eight year old woman smirked, watching her boyfriend's son dance around in front of one of the dog cages. "He's certainly having the time of his life."
The young woman smiled at the volunteer. "Your son is adorable," she gushed.
Emily felt herself blush at the words. "Thank you."
Running up to the woman who'd he'd always known to be in his life, Jack jumped to try and get her to pick him up.
"Whoa bud," she laughed, catching the seven year old before settling him back on the ground. "What's up?"
Jack gestured for the brunette to crouch down to his level.
With a smile, Emily squatted down to the cement floor and smiled to the boy she loved. "What's up, baby?"
"Emmy," he whispered, "can we get a dog?"
The agent hesitated to answer the young boy. She had always wanted a pet, but with her job and being with Aaron made it almost impossible to have a spare moment. And if she were to bring a dog home without running it by her boyfriend?
"Emmy?" Jack reached out and tugged at the collar of his father's girlfriend's flannel. "We gotta get a doggie!"
Emily smiled sadly to the seven year old. "Baby, we'd have to ask your daddy first."
"Daddy's not here! The doggies are here!"
She let the sandy haired boy drag her down the hall to the dog cages, and she hid her laughter as she shook her head. Who could argue with a seven year old's logic? Kneeling down to the young boy's level, she let Jack lead her gaze from cage to cage.
"This is Moogen," the seven year old pronounced sloppily, walking up to the cage that held the five year old white husky behind it. "He's jumpy!"
Emily grinned, her eyes on the boy as he danced in front of the cage.
Pulling on the brunette agent's hand, Jack turned her around to face a few of the other cages. He pointed to the two Chihuahuas lying on top of one another. "Hi Rhonda! Hi Daisy!" He giggled at himself before running to another cage. "And this is Cunch!"
"Cunch?" Emily snorted, looking at the name tag on the cage. "Crunk," she corrected, laughing and letting the little boy hug her around her neck. "His name is Crunk, baby. It's a weird name, it's ok." She looked away from the child and to the black lab licking at the bottom of his paw, and she couldn't help the warm feeling she was getting in her chest.
Jack stepped toward the cage and bent forward. "Hi Crunk," he laughed, his hands on the bars.
"Don't put your hands in," Emily warned again.
The seven year old boy smiled wide at the dog as it walked up to the bars of the cage, and his laughter reached a new decibel as its tongue stuck out and tried to lick at his fingers. "He's so funny!"
The agent watched with a soft gaze as the boy she loved made funny faces at the dog, and in return Crunk's head tilted from side to side. "Hey bud," she grinned, putting out her hand to let the lab sniff her skin. After the dog took a tentative sniffing, his nose was nudging at her hand, and Emily reached up to scratch him behind his ears. "You sure are friendly."
Crunk let the brunette woman continue to scratch at his ears as he licked the boy's hand.
"That tickles!"
Emily laughed along with her boyfriend's son as the dog came back her way and tried to reach for her through the bars of the cage.
Seeing the two by the dog cages, the manager of the pound came over with the keys. "Would you like to play with him?"
Jack readily nodded his head, tugging on Emily's hand in excitement as the manager opened the cage and the lab slowly stepped out. "Hi," he grinned, his laughter echoing around the back room as Crunk lapped at his face.
Emily watched the dog with a smile, letting it slowly step over to her, his eyes big and glassy. "Hey boy," she said softly, sticking out her hand once more to let the dog become comfortable with her. The lab's tongue peeked out and licked at the tips of her fingers, and Emily couldn't decide whether to grimace or smile. She loved dogs, but the slobber was a completely other subject.
"He likes you, Emmy."
"Yeah?" The agent couldn't help her laughter as the lab came right up to her and started to lick at her cheek. "Crunk, I have a boyfriend," she snorted, sharing a smile with the seven year old.
"Wanna get him, Emmy?"
Emily looked to the young boy with a frown. "We can't just get a dog without asking your daddy."
Jack put on a pout, his eyes widening until they were as big as Crunk's.
"Jack," the agent started, but her attention was immediately taken to the dog who made itself comfortable in her lap. The two year old lab, almost as big as Emily, had curled itself up in her lap with its head attached to her hip. Emily's hand smoothed down the now sleeping dog's fur, and she bit her lip.
Shit.
Hotch made his way to the front door, hearing his girlfriend pulling into the new gravel driveway. She and Jack had been gone all day while he went to a budget meeting that had been pushed from the Thursday before to noon that Saturday. Why Strauss was ok with taking him away from his son on the weekend, he'd never know. "Hey!" he waved, walking outside.
"Daddy!"
His eyes met those of the woman he loved and his face fell. It wasn't hard to tell when she was keeping a secret. "What?" he questioned slowly, watching as Jack tugged open the back door.
Emily watched as the black lab jumped out of the SUV and almost tackled her boyfriend to the ground, and Hotch's wide eyes met hers as she shrugged. "Surprise?"